Beloved

 But when we live out the capacity of the Beloved, we focus instead on what God offers us—and how we can receive what He has for us in every season, even in seasons of hardship. 

What a transformed perspective on what we’re truly called to in this life! Even if we’re in the middle of one of those “hurry-up-and-wait” seasons of our lives, when things simply haven’t gone as planned—our purpose is not derailed, Beloved! We can sit in confidence in our highest calling today, which is living from our true identity in Christ, yielding our lives to His so that His power and strength and His very life might be expressed through ours.

Then we are free to live with joy despite our circumstances or our own limitations. We realize that our greatest capacity doesn’t depend on what we can build, supply, or crank out. It’s simply about being a vessel that God can fill. We can move into the community of the Beloved with eyes and hearts wide open, ready to step into the fullness of all that God has purposed for us.

This means that even our darkest days of waiting, our hardest winters of the soul, can become the season that brings some of the weightiest blessings of our lives. And we discover that the life we truly long for can show up in the most unexpected places.

Beloved, every heartache, every disappointment comes with an invitation from God to trust Him with what He wants us to receive in every season. And He builds and increases our capacity the more we trust Him, because ultimately His heart is that we’re filled more and more with His fullness as we understand how wide and long and high and deep is His love for us. For this, above all, is the life He wants for us—and the life our soul longs for most.

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:14-19, 21-28, 32-34, 37‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/59/rom.8.14-19,21-28,32-34,37.esv

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:1-2, 4-5, 7, 10, 16-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/59/col.3.1-2,4-5,7,10,16-17.esv

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:5-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/59/rom.8.5-6.esv

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”

‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/59/zep.3.17.esv

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:14-15, 17-19, 21-25, 27-28, 37‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/59/rom.8.14-15,17-19,21-25,27-28,37.esv

But when we get in the habit of renewing our minds about Whosewe are, something changes in us! Those led by the Spirit “set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” A mind set on the Spirit “is life and peace” (Romans 8:5–6). Out from that life and peace comes a rest that propels us to love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength—and to love others as ourselves, with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience that can only come from the one who calls us Beloved.